The violent abuse of birds recorded by animal rights activists at Fraser Valley chicken farms is 鈥渁bsolutely sickening鈥� and the worst thing the executive director of the BC Chicken Marketing Board says he鈥檚 seen in 43 years in the business.
鈥淭his is beyond anything that any normal person would conceive of to be normal behaviour,鈥� Bill Vanderspek said in an interview Wednesday. 鈥淚 was just disgusted.鈥�
In the wake of the undercover footage of employees throwing, kicking, stomping and tearing apart birds at Chilliwack chicken farms, five employees and one supervisor of the local farm labour company involved have been fired, according to the company鈥檚 president.
WARNING: This video shows disturbing images of animal abuse that may upset some viewers
鈥淲e are sickened with the footage and want to ensure all our suppliers and producers that this is not reflective of who we are, our fundamental beliefs or behaviour we accept from our employees,鈥� said Dwayne Dueck of Elite Farm Services in a statement issued Tuesday.
The Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) issued a statement Tuesday calling the video 鈥渟hocking and reprehensible,鈥� adding that they have a third-party audited Animal Care Program that is enforced on every farm.
鈥淚f a farm is found not to be complying with the Animal Care Program standards, or is causing undue suffering to birds, the farmer is subject to penalties and the proper authorities will be contacted,鈥� the statement said, in part.
And while Vanderspek of the BC Chicken Marketing Board said he makes no excuses for anyone, chicken farmers should not be the focus of ire. Day-old birds are delivered to the chicken farmers by the processors who are also responsible for hiring chicken catchers.
鈥淭he farmer is supposed to be onsite monitoring what is going on, it鈥檚 his farm and his birds,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut the farmer can鈥檛 be everywhere at once.鈥�
Vanderspek said his board is set to meet soon to discuss possible changes in the industry such as increased oversight and regulation to ensure this doesn鈥檛 happen again.
As for the individual from Mercy for Animals who filmed the abuse, Vanderspek said he is very concerned about the inaction of that 鈥渦ndercover operative鈥� in the face of such obvious abuse.
鈥淚f he saw this every night for 19 nights, he is as guilty as anyone for not reporting it the RCMP or the farmer.鈥�
The SPCA said Monday evening it is investigating after receiving the video on June 9 of workers, including a supervisor, of Elite Farm Services 鈥渁busing and torturing鈥� chickens. The footage was filmed between May 10 and June 9.
Mercy for Animals also released a series of comments from veterinarians and other experts in farmed animal welfare, who universally decried the behaviour of workers in the videos.
鈥淭he animal abuse depicted in this video is some of the most brutal and sadistic that I have ever witnessed,鈥� said Ohio veterinarian Dr. Lee Schrader who has 35 years of experience.
鈥淜icking and throwing chickens is animal abuse,鈥� said Dr. Temple Grandin, who is a global expert on animal welfare and an advisor to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
鈥淭his is some of the worst footage I鈥檝e observed in a broiler facility,鈥� said Dr. Katherine van Ekert Onay, an Australian veterinarian with experience in animal welfare on farms.
鈥淭he images in this video are absolutely sickening and the individual employees and the companies involved need to be held accountable,鈥� said Marcie Moriarty, the BC SPCA鈥檚 chief prevention and enforcement officer.
鈥淭he video includes some of the most brutal and sadistic acts of violence against animals I have ever seen.鈥�
The chicken-catching service had been hired to round up chickens for transport to the Lilydale/Sofina Foods slaughter plant in Port Coquitlam, the SPCA said in a statement.
Mercy for Animals created a website, , where it posted the video of clips edited together, a petition to ask Loblaws to stop sourcing Lilydale Chicken, other allegations against Lilydale, and information on vegan alternatives to poultry.
Mercy for Animals says the latest video follows another one showing turkeys at a Lilydale slaughterhouse violently slammed into metal shackles and otherwise injured while still alive.
鈥淭his video shows some of the most sickening animal abuse we鈥檝e ever seen, including workers sadistically tearing live animals limb from limb,鈥� said Krista Hiddema, vice president of Mercy For Animals in Canada, of the latest video.
The SPCA has called on the province鈥檚 poultry industry to suspend the workers involved, suspend contracts to the company until the matter is resolved, and review how it monitors how workers treat chickens.
If convicted, the individuals and companies involved face a fine up to $75,000, a maximum five-year jail sentence and a possible lifetime ban on owning or being around animals.
